Jaunted - Tag: biking

Key West: Bike Down US Highway 1 From Key Largo To Key West During BubbaFest

kjb — 2009-09-17T13:08:54-05:00

November is a tricky travel month, because the onslaught of cooler weather usually puts quite the damper on any outdoor endeavors. That’s why we say to follow millions of others and head down to Florida. We’re not going to play bridge all afternoon and then head out for the early bird special; we’re going to ride our bicycles. Thanks to retired police sergeant Bubba Barron, we have the BubbaFest Bike Tour. It’s a 200-mile cycling event from Key Largo To Key West, and you don’t have to be Lance Armstrong to do it.

Bikers are encouraged to go at their own pace and make frequent pit stops to swim, snorkel, and snooze away part of the day. The whole course over US Highway 1 is pretty flat, so if you can ride a bike and have some patience, you should have no problem pedaling the approximate 45 miles per day. If you do get a little tired, or just lazy, support vehicles follow the whole time and can give you a free ride. Things kick off on November 7 and wrap up on November 13, with a few layover days to soak in the sun.

Hike And Bike Your Way Along The Cold War's Most Dangerous Fault Line

Omri — 2009-07-27T16:34:11-05:00

On one hand, the Cold War was kind of depressing. Cf. the Lewis Black clip below, which includes the phrase "nuclear fuck holocaust." On the other hand, there was something charmingly absurd about the whole thing. We knew who the enemy was, we knew what a war would look like, and we knew we would all die. Kids today don't appreciate how refreshing it is to know who you're supposed to hate.

If you fall on the nostalgia side of Cold War reminiscence, the EU has been developing a series of jogging trails and biking paths that might be up your alley. The final route of the whole project just got published in the form of a brochure. The Iron Curtain Trail now stretches from Finland, down through central Germany, along the outer border of the former Czechoslovakia, and between Hungary and Austria. The trail stretches 4,225 miles, winding its way along the old Warsaw Pact-NATO border.

Mammoth Lakes: Tear Up California's Mammoth Mountain On Your 10-Speed

kjb — 2009-06-26T09:17:17-05:00

Everyone knows that residents of California love their cars, but they’re probably stuck in them a little too much. That’s why we're looking to some offroading at Mammoth Mountain, just of the two-wheeled, human-powered variety. The ski resort has a lot to offer when the weather is warmer, and their mountain bike park has just opened for the season. Even without your car, you’ll be able to fulfill your need for speed with their downhill runs.

Of the different trails and runs for cyclists of all levels, both the Paper Route and Downtown runs will take it easy on you, while the Twilight Zone and Kamikaze represent the more black diamond options. With over 90 miles of trails, you should be able to find one you like, just remember your helmet and pads.

RentaBikeNow Makes Two Wheels Almost As Easy To Borrow As Four

BS — 2009-06-23T09:22:11-05:00

Our number one travel biking request here at Jaunted is for cheap, Velib-style bike-sharing in every city on earth, but until that happens, we’ll settle for a national bike rental service that makes hopping on two wheels as easy as renting a car.

On the path to this is RentaBikeNow.com, a web-based company that partners with bike shops to provide rentals in 157 different cities across the U.S. and Canada. The site launched a few months back and got a boost recently when Lance Armstrong’s coach, Chris Carmichael, shouted them out on twitter.

Heraldsburg: Bike Sonoma And Drink Back Any Calories Dropped

BS — 2009-06-22T09:12:15-05:00

If the Wine Road facebook promo we told you about last week drank you in, then you're probably looking for yet another excuse to finally visit California wine country.

Being fans of the "work out, then indulge" travel routine, we say next month's Healdsburg Harvest Century Bicycle Tour is as good an excuse as any to head to the wine roads. The itinerary is flexible: take a 23-, 37-, or 60-mile spin through one of Sonoma County's most scenic roads—which Bicycling Magazine called one of the "7 Greatest Rides on Earth"—then spend the rest of the day (or weekend) exploring the more than 100 wineries nearby.

The July 18 tour starts at 8am in Heraldsburg, and no matter how far you're biking, should be over by 2pm, giving you plenty of prime afternoon hours to hit the vineyard and reverse all those calories you burned off.

[Photo: deszertbuzz]

New York: NYC's Governor's Island Is Ready For Its Close-Up

BS — 2009-06-02T10:52:04-05:00

Forget the five boroughs; this summer's NYC hotspot is a tiny island that most New Yorkers have never even visited.

Wedged between Manhattan and Brooklyn, the 172-acre Governor's Island has long been New York's most underused real estate, but it looks like this bridge-less isle is finally having its moment. We already told you about the island's new drinking spot, but it also has more outdoor activities on offer than ever before, and even Prince Harry played polo there this weekend.

Bicyclists Most Welcome in Washington and Wisconsin

JetSetCD — 2009-05-13T14:36:54-05:00

Have you checked the pressure on your bike tires yet this spring? When it comes to backing your bicycle out of the cobwebs, it's important to give it a check-up and make sure you're not running on flats. This is exactly what the League of American Bicyclists is doing, except that they're looking over cities to check out the facilities and attitudes towards cyclists in preparation for the season.

In fact, they've just released their list of the country's most bicycle-friendly states, topped by Washington and Wisconsin. Both of these states do have some pretty sweet seasons aside from winter, and so we're not surprised that they look most favorably on those who choose to take to the streets on nicer days.

As far as biggest movers on the list, Mississippi rose 23 spots to claim 24th most bicycle-friendly state, while Florida dropped 12 spots to number 32. We're confused about New York's 41st position however, as 2008 brought the arrival of many controversial bicycle lanes in Manhattan and this summer welcomes free bike rental at the South Street Seaport. Of course, the body checking incident during last summer's Critical Mass ride through Times Square probably didn't help New York on this one.

Related Stories:
· Washington, Wisconsin on a roll as most bike-friendly states [USA Today]
· Bike Around Downtown NY [Downtown Alliance]
· Bicycle Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: ItzaFineDay]